Railway-switch.



PATENTED DEC. '11, 1906-.

' F. ADAMSON.

RAILWAY SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 25, 1905.

FERDINAND ADAMSON, OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS.

RAILWAY-SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 11, 1906.

Application filed September 25, 1905. Serial No. 280,034:-

To n/ZZ 1077 0711 it 7111a concern:

Be it known that I, FERDINAND ADAMSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rockford, in the county of Winnebago and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway- Switches, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to automatically throw a switch by a moving train, which will insure the train taking the main track when approaching the switch from either direction.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved railway-switch. Fig. 2 is an isometrical representation of the switch-throwing mechanism. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on dotted line a a, Fig. 1.

The main railway-track 1, side track 2, and switch 3 are of the usual construction and are supported by ties in the usual manner. A stand 4 is supported by two extended ties 5 and has a vertical column 6, provided with a flange 7 at its upper end. This flange is provided with two peripheral notches 8 and 9. A crossbar 1O spans the lower end of the stand. A square shaft 11 is located in a vertical position and is supported by the column 6 and the cross-bar 10 in a pivotal manner. A spring 12 is coiled around the shaft, having one end connected to the shaft and its other end connected to the stand. The lower end of the shaft 11 is provided with a forked arm 13, extending at right angles to the shaft and to which is pivotally connected a rod 14. To the upper end of the shaft 11 is secured a bracket 15 having its free end slotted. A bar 16 has one end located within the slotted end of the bracket 15. A coiled spring 17 has one end connected to the shaft 11 and its other end connected to the bar 16 and serves to hold the bar yieldingly within the notches 8 and 9 of the flange 7. A rod 18 is located in a vertical position and is supported by the casing, flange, and cross-bar in a pivotal manner. From the rod 18 near its upper end, extends a projection 19 and is located be neath the notch 8 in the flange 7. From the lower end of the rod 18 extends an arm 20, to which is connected a chain or cable 21. To two of the ties are pivoted two levers 22 and 23 having their free end pointing toward the switch. The chain 21 passes over the upper sheave 24 and over the sheave 25 and connects with the lever 22. A chain 26 has a and its connection with the chain 21 and passes over sheaves, like sheaves 24 and 25, also over an intermediate sheave 27. The rod 14 has a pivotal connection, a rod 28 connecting the two bars of the switch.

As shown at Figs. 1 and 2, the switch is in position to connect the main track with a siding. Should a train approach the switch from either direction, one of the levers will be depressed by a wheel or projection carried by the locomotive, which will rock the rod 18, rojection 19 will force the bar 16 from its ocation in the notch 8. When the bar 16 is liberated from its engagement with the flange 7, the coiled spring 12 will turn it until it enters the notch 9 in the flange. This movement of the shaft will move the rod 14, and its connection with the rod 28 will move the rails comprising the switch, so that the main track will be continuous. The roller or projection extending from the locomotive, which is adapted to depress the levers 22 and 23, is constructed to be raised and supported elevated, so it will not strike the levers, in order that the train may pass onto the siding. By this arrangement it will be impossible for a train to pass onto a siding unless it is the intention to do so. The levers 22 and 23 are to be placed some distance from the switch in order that the switch may be moved before the locomotive reaches it. By turning the shaft so that the bar 16 rests in the notch 8 the rod 18 will be oscillated, which will pull on the chains 21 and 26 and hold the levers 22 and 23 elevated.

I claim as my invention- The combination of a railway-switch, a stand provided with a flange, said flange having two peripheral notches, a shaft held in a pivotal manner by the stand, a crank extending from the shaft, a connection between the crank and switch, a spring coiled around the shaft having one end connected to the shaft and its other end to the stand, a lever having a pivotal connection with the shaft and adapted to enter the peripheral notches of the flange, a trigger supported by the stand and adapted to force the lever out of one of the notches, and a connection between the trigger and a moving train by which it is operated.

FERDINAND ADAMSON. Witnesses:

A. O. BEHEL, E. BEHEL. 

